Binghamton hockey fans experienced a whirlwind of emotions during the Southern Division final series. The Binghamton Rangers took an early 2-1 lead in the series by defeating Rochester 3-1. The game saw goals from Rob Zamuner and Mike Stevens, as well as an empty-netter from Jody Hull. Goaltender Mark Laforest made 23 saves to win his sixth playoff start. However, despite their lead, Rochester rallied to eliminate Binghamton in Game 7 with a score of 4-2. This was the first time in 19 seasons of professional hockey that a Binghamton team lost a decisive Game 5 or Game 7.
On the other hand, Johnson City’s defending state champions continued their winning streak on a pitching-rich softball afternoon. The Wildcats, ranked Class B No. 1, extended their win streak to an impressive 16 games with a convincing 6-1 victory over Vestal. Charlene Cook’s three-hit pitching and Chris Dyman’s strong hitting led the team to victory and a perfect record of seven wins in a row. In another game that day, Union-Endicott’s Jennifer Fitzgerald nearly achieved perfection as she pitched her second consecutive shutout against Susquehanna Valley in a commanding 15-0 win.